Relay node resource handling

1. A method, comprising,

receiving a hard resources configuration or soft resources configuration to be used for cell-specific synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel (PBCH) blocks (SSB), the hard resources configuration including a configuration for a set of hard resources in a granularity of a slot or symbol to transmit the cell-specific SSB;

determining, based on the received one of the hard resources configuration or soft resources configuration, a resource for transmission of the cell-specific SSB; and

transmitting the cell-specific SSB via the determined resource;

the method further comprising:

determining that no backhaul data is scheduled for transmission on a candidate resource, the candidate resource identified from the hard resources configuration or soft resources configuration; and

configuring the candidate resource for cell-specific SSB transmission; and

wherein transmitting the cell-specific SSB via the determined resource comprises transmitting at least one cell-specific SSB using the candidate resource.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing uplink reception of access link and backhaul (BH) downlink reception simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hard resources configuration is received from a parent node or from a Central Unit (CU).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hard resources configuration includes a configuration for a set of hard resources in a granularity of slots to transmit the cell-specific SSB, the method further comprising determining, for the cell-specific SSB, a number of SSB blocks and a location for each of the SSB blocks of the number of SSB blocks.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the configuration for the set of hard resources in the granularity of slots includes two slots per 20 ms allocated as the set of hard resources to transmit the cell-specific SSB.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hard resources configuration comprises a configuration for a set of hard resources in a granularity of symbols to transmit the cell-specific SSB defining a placement pattern of allocated hard symbols that determine locations of SSB symbols.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, receiving a configuration for a set of soft resources to transmit the cell-specific SSB.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the set of soft resources includes two slots prior to slots allocated as the hard resource.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

allocating the cell-specific SSB to the available SSB candidate slots; and

transmitting the cell-specific SSB by the available SSB candidate slots.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by an apparatus that is implemented in or employed by an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node or a Distribution Unit (DU).

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hard resource configuration identifies hard resources for SSB transmission, the hard resources comprising two slots per 20 milliseconds for transmitting two or four cell-specific SSB.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising configuring soft resources for SSB transmission, the soft resources comprising a slot prior to the hard resources for transmitting two cell-specific SSBs per 20 ms.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the candidate slot represents a frame boundary.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting cell-specific SSBs using hard resources and a fixed beam width; and

transmitting cell-specific SSBs using soft resources and an adaptable beam width, the adaptable beam width higher beamforming gain and beam directionality than the fixed beam width.

15. An apparatus comprising:

one or more hardware processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed cause the one or more hardware processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a hard resources configuration or soft resources configuration to be used for cell-specific synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel (PBCH) blocks (SSB), the hard resources configuration including a configuration for a set of hard resources in a granularity of a slot or symbol to transmit the cell-specific SSB;

determining, based on the received one of the hard resources configuration or soft resources configuration, a resource for transmission of the cell-specific SSB; and

transmitting the cell-specific SSB via the determined resource;

the operations further comprising:

determining that no backhaul data is scheduled for transmission on a candidate resource, the candidate resource identified from the hard resources configuration or soft resources configuration; and

configuring the candidate resource for cell-specific SSB transmission; and

wherein transmitting the cell-specific SSB via the determined resource comprises transmitting at least one cell-specific SSB using the candidate resource.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the hard resource configuration identifies hard resources for SSB transmission, the hard resources comprising two slots per 20 milliseconds for transmitting two or four cell-specific SSB.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , the operations further comprising configuring soft resources for SSB transmission, the soft resources comprising a slot prior to the hard resources for transmitting two cell-specific SSBs per 20 ms.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the candidate slot represents a frame boundary.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

transmitting cell-specific SSBs using hard resources and a fixed beam width; and

transmitting cell-specific SSBs using soft resources and an adaptable beam width, the adaptable beam width higher beamforming gain and beam directionality than the fixed beam width.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the hard resources configuration includes a configuration for a set of hard resources in a granularity of slots to transmit the cell-specific SSB, the method further comprising determining, for the cell-specific SSB, a number of SSB blocks and a location for each of the SSB blocks of the number of SSB blocks.